81 FR 75143 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 3 Bars Ecosystem and Landscape Restoration Project in Eureka County, NV

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 209 (October 28, 2016)

Page Range		75143-75145
FR Document		2016-25978

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 3 Bars Ecosystem and Landscape Restoration Project (3 Bars Project) and by this notice is announcing its availability.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 209 (Friday, October 28, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 209 (Friday, October 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75143-75145]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25978]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNVB00000.LF3100000.DD0000.LFHFJF500000; 13-08807; MO# 4500079713]


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the 3 Bars Ecosystem and Landscape Restoration Project in 
Eureka County, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 3 Bars Ecosystem and 
Landscape Restoration Project (3 Bars Project) and by this notice is 
announcing its availability.

DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a 
minimum of 30 days from the date that the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the 3 Bars Project Final EIS are available for 
public inspection at the Bureau of Land Management, Mount Lewis Field 
Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, Nevada, during regular 
business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
holidays. Interested persons may also view the Final EIS at: http://on.doi.gov/1NlY62v.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Erdody, Fire Ecologist 775-635-
4109, Bureau of Land Management, Mount Lewis Field Office, 50 Bastian

[[Page 75144]]

Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820; or email: [email protected]. 
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to 
contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question 
with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal 
business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 3 Bars Project area in central Eureka 
County, Nevada, spans approximately 749,810 acres and includes all or 
portions of three major mountain ranges (Roberts Mountain, Simpson Park 
Range, and Sulphur Spring Range). Monitoring has indicated that 
resource conditions within the project area have deteriorated due to 
past land use activities, causing the BLM to target this area for 
restoration.
    The BLM is proposing a comprehensive treatment program for 
improving the health of the ecosystem in the 3 Bars Project area. The 
proposed project focuses on restoration at the landscape level. The 
proposed treatments range from several acres to several thousand acres, 
depending on specific treatment and management goals and desired 
objectives for each resource. Possible treatment methods include 
manual, mechanical, and biological control treatments, prescribed fire, 
or wildland fire for resource benefit, and other management actions. 
The surface landownership consists of about 97 percent public lands 
administered by the BLM and three percent privately owned lands.
    The BLM initiated the scoping period for the Project by publication 
of a Notice of Intent (75 FR 3916-3917) to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) on January 25, 2010. The scoping period ended on 
March 10, 2010. Public scoping meetings were held in Battle Mountain, 
Nevada, on February 22, 2010, and in Eureka, Nevada, on February 23, 
2010. The BLM received 24 scoping comment letters on the proposed 3 
Bars Project. During the scoping period, 637 catalogued individual 
comments were recorded for the 3 Bars Project EIS. All comments that 
were received have been incorporated in a Scoping Summary Report and 
were considered in the subsequent preparation of the Draft EIS.
    Based on the public comments received during the scoping period for 
the 3 Bars Project, the BLM developed and analyzed four alternatives in 
the Draft EIS; specifically, the All Treatment Method Alternative; No 
Fire Use Alternative; Minimal Land Disturbance Alternative; and No 
Action Alternative.
    The BLM has identified site-specific treatment projects that it 
proposes to implement to restore and manage the 3 Bars Project area. 
Treatment projects were identified through an iterative process 
involving the BLM and other Federal, state and local agencies. 
Treatments would focus on four priority vegetation management concerns:
     Riparian--Treatments in riparian habitats would focus on 
restoring riparian functionality in areas where structural integrity 
(incised channel, headcuts, knickpoints, developments, and diversions) 
and/or appropriate species composition are compromised.
     Aspen--Treatments in quaking aspen habitats would focus on 
improving the health of aspen stands by stimulating aspen regeneration.
     Pinyon-juniper--Treatments in singleleaf pinyon pine and 
Utah juniper habitats would focus on thinning pinyon-juniper 
communities to promote woodland health and removing pinyon-juniper 
where it encroaches into riparian areas and upland habitats, including 
sagebrush habitat.
     Sagebrush--Treatments in sagebrush habitats would focus on 
restoring the sagebrush community by removing encroaching pinyon-
juniper, promoting the reestablishment of native forbs and grasses in 
sagebrush communities, and promoting the development of sagebrush in 
areas where it occurred historically.
In addition to the All Available Methods Alternative, three other 
alternatives are analyzed in the Final EIS. The No Fire Use Alternative 
would target the same treatment areas, but the methods of treatment 
would not include prescribed fire or wildland fire for resource 
benefit. The Minimal Land Disturbance Alternative targets the same 
areas for treatment, but further limits the methods of treatment to 
exclude fire use, mechanical treatments, and non-classical biological 
controls. A No Action Alternative has also been included to provide a 
baseline against which all other alternatives can be measured. Three 
additional alternatives were considered, but eliminated from detailed 
analysis.
    The BLM has prepared the Final EIS in coordination with its three 
Cooperating Agencies: the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Eureka County 
Board of Commissioners, and the National Park Service--National Trails 
Intermountain Region.
    On September 27, 2013, a Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS 
was published in the Federal Register (78 FR 59712), providing a 45-day 
public comment period. One public comment meeting was held on November 
7, 2013, in Eureka, Nevada. A second Notice was published in the 
Federal Register (78 FR 67392) entitled ``New Dates for Close of Public 
Comment and Protest Periods Due to Federal Government Shutdown 
extending the comment period to November 29, 2013.'' No preferred 
alternative for this Project was chosen in the Draft EIS.
    More than 6,800 comments were received, of which 6,530 were form 
letters containing identical or similar comments. The BLM identified 23 
substantive issues as a result of the review process. Comments 
primarily pertained to potential impacts to wild horses, preservation 
of old growth woodlands, and protection of habitat for wildlife and 
special status species, including Greater Sage-Grouse. Substantive 
comments were considered by the BLM and changes to the Final EIS made 
accordingly.
    The Final EIS has identified the All Available Methods Alternative 
as the preferred alternative, with treatments and treatment objectives 
that meet previously identified resource management goals. These goals 
are consistent with the 1986 Shoshone-Eureka Resource Management Plan, 
as amended by the BLM Nevada and Northeastern California Greater Sage-
Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment and Record of 
Decision, which currently guides land management activities within the 
3 Bars Project area. These goals focus primarily on wildlife and 
habitat enhancement, fire and fuels management, woodland and rangeland 
values, wetland and riparian restoration, wild horse management, and 
protection of traditional edible and medicinal plants and cultural 
resources.
    The 3 Bars ecosystem provides habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse, a 
BLM special status species. The proposed 3 Bars Project is fully in 
conformance with the September 2015 BLM Nevada and Northeastern 
California Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan 
Amendment and Record of Decision (ARMPA).
    To ensure that treatments benefit Greater Sage-Grouse, sagebrush 
restoration treatments would adhere to ARMPA Required Design Features 
(RDFs). These include avoiding treatments near Greater Sage-Grouse leks 
and avoiding treatments in breeding, brood-rearing, and wintering 
habitats during those times of the year when Greater Sage-Grouse are 
using these habitats. The BLM will ensure proper livestock management 
is in place prior to treatments when necessary in

[[Page 75145]]

order to meet project goals and objectives, which would benefit Greater 
Sage-Grouse habitat.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10

Jon D. Sherve,
Field Manager, Mount Lewis Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-25978 Filed 10-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2016 / Notices 75143

Background algal blooms (HABs) in the Sandusky to withhold your personal identifying
Ballville Dam was built in 1913 for River and Lake Erie due to the proposed information from public review, we
hydroelectric power generation. The sediment release, the potential impacts cannot guarantee that we will be able to
City of Fremont purchased the dam in of the proposed alternative on do so.
1959 from the Ohio Power Company for downstream habitats due to sediment
release, the accuracy of cost estimates of Authority
the purpose of supplying water to the
sediment removal within the EIS, and This notice is being furnished as
city. With the construction of a raw
evaluation of a bypass and excavation provided for by NEPA and its
water reservoir, the dam is no longer
alternative provided in comments on implementing Regulations (40 CFR
required for this purpose. Moreover, in
the final EIS. Although we concluded 1501.7 and 1508.22). The intent of the
2007, the Ohio Department of Natural
that these topics were sufficiently notice is to obtain suggestions and
Resources issued a Notice of Violation
addressed in the final EIS, we provided additional information from other
to the City, stating that the dam was
additional review and assessment in the agencies and the public on the final
being operated in violation of the law as
draft SEIS to help further clarify the SEIS. Comments and participation in
a result of its deteriorated condition.
Ballville Dam is currently a complete issues. To complete this aspect of the this process are solicited.
barrier to upstream fish passage and draft SEIS, we consulted subject matter
Todd Turner,
impedes hydrologic processes. The experts to help review final EIS
Assistant Regional Director, Fisheries,
purpose for the issuance of Federal materials and clearly articulate our
Midwest Region.
funds and preparation of this final SEIS understanding of them. The resulting
[FR Doc. 2016–26101 Filed 10–27–16; 8:45 am]
is to remove Ballville Dam and restore additional information and explanation
BILLING CODE P
natural hydrological processes over a was incorporated within the draft SEIS.
This final SEIS further incorporates
40-mile stretch of the Sandusky River,
information received during the public
reopen fish passage to 22 miles of DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
comment period for the draft SEIS, and
additional habitat, restore flow
finalizes the analyses and conclusions Bureau of Land Management
conditions for fish access to habitat
in the document.
above the impoundment, and improve [LLNVB00000.LF3100000.DD0000.
overall conditions for native fish Public Comments LFHFJF500000; 13–08807; MO#
communities in the Sandusky River Letters describing the proposed action 4500079713]
system, restoring self-sustaining fish and soliciting comments will be sent to
resources. appropriate Federal, State, and local Notice of Availability of the Final
We published a final EIS in the agencies, and to private organizations Environmental Impact Statement for
Federal Register on August 1, 2014 (79 and citizens who have previously the 3 Bars Ecosystem and Landscape
FR 44856), for the Ballville Dam Project expressed or are known to have interest Restoration Project in Eureka County,
that addressed the environmental, in this proposal. To ensure that the full NV
economic, cultural and historical, and range of issues related to this proposed
safety issues associated with the AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
action are addressed and all significant Interior.
proposed removal of the dam and a issues identified, comments and
suite of alternatives. The final EIS ACTION: Notice.
suggestions are invited from all
analyzed four alternatives for the interested parties. SUMMARY: In accordance with the
removal: (1) Proposed Action— We request data, comments, new National Environmental Policy Act of
Incremental Dam Removal with Ice information, or suggestions from the 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land
Control Structure; (2) No Federal public, concerned governmental Management (BLM) has prepared a
Action; (3) Fish Elevator Structure; and agencies, the scientific community, Final Environmental Impact Statement
(4) Dam Removal with Ice Control tribes, industry, or any other interested (EIS) for the 3 Bars Ecosystem and
Structure. The final EIS considered the party on this notice. We specifically Landscape Restoration Project (3 Bars
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects request comments regarding the Project) and by this notice is
of the alternatives, including any additional information and analyses announcing its availability.
measures under the Proposed Action presented in the final SEIS. DATES: The BLM will not issue a final
alternative intended to minimize and You may submit your comments and
mitigate such impacts. The final EIS decision on the proposal for a minimum
materials considering this notice by one of 30 days from the date that the
also identified additional alternatives of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES
that were considered, but were Environmental Protection Agency
section. publishes its Notice of Availability in
eliminated from consideration as
detailed in Section 2.3 of the final EIS. Public Availability of Comments the Federal Register.
We further published a draft SEIS in All comments and materials we ADDRESSES: Copies of the 3 Bars Project
the Federal Register on February 26, receive in response to this request will Final EIS are available for public
2016 (81 FR 9877), that provided further be available for public inspection, by inspection at the Bureau of Land
discussion of the potential significant appointment, during normal business Management, Mount Lewis Field Office,
impacts of the proposed action and an hours at the address listed in the 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain,
analysis of reasonable alternatives to the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Nevada, during regular business hours
proposed action, specifically within the Before including your address, phone of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

context of additional information made number, email address, or other through Friday, except holidays.
available since completion of final EIS personal identifying information in your Interested persons may also view the
for this project. This additional comment, you should be aware that Final EIS at: http://on.doi.gov/1NlY62v.
information addressed estimates of total your entire comment—including your FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
quantity of sediment impounded by personal identifying information—may Todd Erdody, Fire Ecologist 775–635–
Ballville Dam, the potential impacts of be made publicly available at any time. 4109, Bureau of Land Management,
the proposed alternative on harmful While you can ask us in your comment Mount Lewis Field Office, 50 Bastian

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2016 / Notices 75145

order to meet project goals and Principal Meridian, Montana Park Service, 1849 C St. NW., MS 2280,
objectives, which would benefit Greater Tps. 7 and 8 N., R. 47 E. Washington, DC 20240; by all other
Sage-Grouse habitat. carriers, National Register of Historic
The plat, in two sheets, representing
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10 Places, National Park Service, 1201 Eye
the dependent resurvey of Tract O, Tract
St. NW., 8th floor, Washington, DC
Jon D. Sherve, Z, and a portion of Tract N (Tps. 7 and 20005; or by fax, 202–371–6447.
Field Manager, Mount Lewis Field Office.
8 N., R. 47 E.), and the subdivision of
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Tract O and Tract Z into Tract CC, Tract
[FR Doc. 2016–25978 Filed 10–27–16; 8:45 am]
DD, Tract EE, and Tract FF, Township properties listed in this notice are being
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
7 North, Range 47 East, Principal considered for listing or related actions
Meridian, Montana, was accepted in the National Register of Historic
March 17, 2016. Places. Nominations for their
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR consideration were received by the
We will place a copy of the plat, in
two sheets, in the open files. They will National Park Service before October 1,
Bureau of Land Management 2016. Pursuant to section 60.13 of 36
be available to the public as a matter of
[LLMT929000/L14400000.BJ0000; information. If the BLM receives a CFR part 60, written comments are
17X1109AF; MO#4500100894]
protest against this survey, as shown on being accepted concerning the
this plat, in two sheets, prior to the date significance of the nominated properties
Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; under the National Register criteria for
Montana of the official filing, we will stay the
filing pending our consideration of the evaluation.
Before including your address, phone
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, protest. We will not officially file this
number, email address, or other
Interior. plat, in two sheets, until the day after
personal identifying information in your
ACTION: Notice of filing of plats of we have accepted or dismissed all
comment, you should be aware that
survey. protests and they have become final,
your entire comment—including your
including decisions or appeals. Before
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land personal identifying information—may
including your address, phone number,
Management (BLM) will file the plat of be made publicly available at any time.
email address, or other personally
survey of the lands described below in While you can ask us in your comment
identifying information in your
the BLM Montana State Office, Billings, to withhold your personal identifying
comment, you should be aware that
Montana, on November 28, 2016. information from public review, we
your entire comment—including your
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
DATES: A notice of protest of the survey personally identifying information—
do so.
must be filed before November 28, 2016 may be made publicly available at any
to be considered. A statement of reasons time. While you can ask us in your GEORGIA
for a protest may be filed with the notice comment to withhold your personally Fulton County
of protest and must filed within thirty identifying information from public Sears, Roebuck and Co. Mail-Order
days after the notice of protest is filed. review, we cannot guarantee that we Warehouse and Retail Store, 675 Ponce de
ADDRESSES: Protests of the survey will be able to do so. Leon Ave. NE., Atlanta, 16000769
should be sent to the Branch of Authority: 43 U.S.C. Chap. 3. MASSACHUSETTS
Cadastral Survey, Bureau of Land
Joshua F. Alexander, Middlesex County
Management, 5001 Southgate Drive,
Billings, Montana 59101–4669. Chief, Branch of Cadastral Survey, Division Reeves Tavern, 126 Old Connecticut Path,
of Energy, Minerals, and Realty. Wayland, 16000770
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[FR Doc. 2016–26102 Filed 10–27–16; 8:45 am]
Blaise Lodermeier, Cadastral Surveyor, MISSOURI
BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P
Branch of Cadastral Survey, Bureau of Jackson County
Land Management, 5001 Southgate West Bottoms—North Historic District,
Drive, Billings, Montana 59101–4669, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Railroad Related Historic Commercial and
telephone (406) 896–5128 or (406) 896– Industrial Resources in Kansas City,
5003, bloderme@blm.gov. Persons who National Park Service Missouri MPS), W. 9th St., St. Louis Ave.,
use a telecommunications device for the Union Ave. from Wyoming to W. of
[NPS–WASO–NRNHL–22126; Mulberry Sts., Kansas City, 16000771
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
PPWOCRADI0, PCU00RP14.R50000]
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– MONTANA
800–877–8339 to contact the above National Register of Historic Places;
individual during normal business Glacier County
Notification of Pending Nominations
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a Rising Wolf, (Glacier National Park MPS),
and Related Actions Glacier National Park, St. Mary, 16000772
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message
or question with the above individual. AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. NEBRASKA
You will receive a reply during normal ACTION: Notice. Douglas County
business hours.
SUMMARY: The National Park Service is Hanscom Apartments, (Apartments, Flats and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Tenements in Omaha, Nebraska from
survey was executed at the request of soliciting comments on the significance
1880–1962 MPS), 1029 Park Ave., Omaha,
the Chief, Branch of Realty, Lands and of properties nominated before October
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

16000773
Renewable Energy, Bureau of Land 1, 2016, for listing or related actions in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 4912 Leavenworth
Management, Billings, Montana, and the National Register of Historic Places. St., Omaha, 16000774
was necessary to create Tracts of land to DATES: Comments should be submitted Scott—Omaha Tent and Awning Company,
by November 14, 2016. 1501 Howard St., Omaha, 16000775
be transferred to the State of Montana
through the indemnity selection ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent via Keith County
process. U.S. Postal Service to the National Alkali Station, (Conflict & Warfare in the
The lands we surveyed are: Register of Historic Places, National North & South Platte Valleys of Nebraska,

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Document Created: 2018-02-13 16:39:48
Document Modified: 2018-02-13 16:39:48

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for a minimum of 30 days from the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.
Contact		Todd Erdody, Fire Ecologist 775-635- 4109, Bureau of Land Management, Mount Lewis Field Office, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820; or email: [email protected] Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
FR Citation		81 FR 75143

81 FR 75143 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 3 Bars Ecosystem and Landscape Restoration Project in Eureka County, NV

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 209 (October 28, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management